Tom Izzo Emphasizes His Belief in Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State Football

Tom Izzo spent more than an hour talking to the media on Thursday about everything and anything.

He’s the kind of man who, after the blood, sweat and tears he’s put in over the years, commands the utmost respect with every word.

Even non-basketball fans can listen to the Michigan State coach of more than 30 years and walk away with words of wisdom that extend far beyond the game itself.

But when Izzo emphasizes something he’s already said a few times, you take notice.

To conclude his press conference, Izzo delivered a statement regarding the Michigan State football team and the man leading it.

“For all of you, I’ll bet you this football program is going somewhere in the very near future.”

Garnering everyone's attention despite sitting through an over-an-hour-long press conference, Izzo made sure nobody had mentally checked out before he finished.

But this wasn't a final statement about his own team, which enters the season with national championship expectations and the consensus preseason player of the year.

Instead, it was about the football team.

Izzo has been doing everything he can to encourage the Spartans, even joining the student section for the second half of the Illinois game. Michigan State rallied to force overtime before eventually losing by one point on a failed two-point conversion.

And why does Izzo endorse the football team so strongly?

The man leading it: new head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Izzo continued:

“I hope you’ll hang with them like I’m gonna and believe in them like I do. Because, I believe in the man leading us and that’s what’s important.”

One of the best coaches in the world, Tom Izzo knows a thing or two about leadership and what a great leader can accomplish.

Izzo believes in Fitzgerald, and he hasn't been shy about expressing it.

Fitzgerald made headlines after raising his middle finger toward the referees during the Spartans' overtime loss last week, showing his frustration with how the game unfolded.

Something I'm sure Izzo smiled from ear to ear upon seeing.

The Michigan State football team is currently riding a four-game losing streak and is chasing its second conference win in the last five years.

The Spartans have a big matchup against No. 25 Northwestern this weekend and will need every bit of encouragement they can get to pull off the upset at home.

With Izzo publicly backing Fitzgerald, the message is clear: he believes in the man leading the program, and he wants the rest of the Michigan State community to believe, too.